It was sad to not be able to visit family this year...

But making this guy was pretty awesome anyway :)

Born to Run

Recently the book "Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" by Christopher McDougall was recommended to me.

I started reading it not because I am particularly adept at running, but because I am incredibly awkward at running. After a mile or two my right knee and hip flexor start to hurt, leaving me with an adorable limping gate. I always go with Evey but when she pulls on the leash I have to hunch over to regain control and to be honest, she can pull a lot. I also never wanted to put much money into a sport I might not get all that into and usually wear mismatched sweats and curry stained t-shirts.

That's right. What I'm trying to tell you is that I am the Quasimodo of amateur jogging.

So I started in on this book right away. These lost tribes who could run incredible distances--sometimes sprinting hundreds of miles obviously knew something I do not. I couldn't wait to dig into this fantastical side of history and maybe even discover a few techniques that could improve my modern form.

But then it hit me a few pages in, as I'm sure it hits most readers. This Christopher McDougall guy wasn't writing about an ancient race of superathletes, he's writing about a modern one. That lives in Mexico. At this very moment.

It was jarring. For whatever reason, it's a lot easier to swallow the notion of weird Herculean cultures living thousands of years ago than it is to believe they could exist today... especially when most people get out of breath walking from their car to their booth at Applebee's.

But there it was in well researched black and white. The Tarahumara not only run enormous distances but do so in the treacherous Copper Canyon.

No matter how implausible you believe the story itself to be, please continue reading. The pages that follow contain something much more valuable than a social studies lesson on indigenous cultures or training tips. The pages inspire. And they don't just inspire one to run they inspire all activity weather it be hiking, biking, swimming, whatever. The Tarahumara's secrets are not rocket science. They have just retained the knowledge that humans are creatures meant to be active and activity is, at its very core, fun. It feels good. And depression, anger, hatred-- it all falls away with the miles.

How could that be a bad thing?

Suffice to say, it is a very good winter read and comes highly recommended.

"I always start these events with very lofty goals, like I'm doing something special. And after a point of body deterioration, the goals get evaluated down to basically where I am now-- where the best I can hope for is to avoid throwing up on my shoes."

-Nuclear engineer and ultrarunner, Ephraim Romesberg sixty-five miles into the Badwater Ultramarathon

Tortoise v. Hare

As the ill conceived tattoo on my leg was meant to suggest, the story of the tortoise and the hare is not only a reoccurring theme in my life but also one that is very important to me.

The tortoise is slow. And dull. And round. He not only has no business winning races, he has no business competing in the first place. The impossibility of the task in front of him is reason enough to quit. The mockery and laughter of his peers is reason enough to quit. The ridiculous lead the hare has from the get go is reason enough to quit. And yet he doesn't. Ever. He continues on with steady determination and quiet resolve. That to me is quite beautiful.

This weekend I was lucky enough to attend a "Friendsgiving" feast to celebrate all who are near and dear. I hadn't formally met one of the attendees but was looking forward to talking with her. She recently returned from Greece where she ran in her first marathon.

That's right. She ran her first marathon... in Greece. You know, where the actual town of 'Marathon' is located. Where Pheidippides made his fabled journey across the countryside to announce Greek victory over Persia. Yeah. That place.

She said what an amazing experience the trip was and that she was planning to go back next year as a tour guide if anyone was interested in going/ competing/ cheering. I must've lit up like a light. The entire idea reeks of impossibility. A marathon? Really? Even the thought of a half marathon... 13.1 miles... is... well... ridiculous. The farthest I've ever gone is just about 6 miles but really when it comes down to it, that was more of a quick walk. There is just no way someone like me could ever have the stamina, the perseverance, or the courage to travel half way around the world and run in the footsteps of Greek Heroes.

Which is exactly why I am going to do it.

I hold no allusions of grandeur. I know what my body can and cannot do. So my goal--my hare-- is simply to finish... half of it.

And I will do that. Just wait and see.